1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a magazine mechanism which is provided for a nailing machine. Particularly, the present invention relates to a multiple-loading magazine mechanism accommodating plural rows of connected nails called as stick nails and connected in a straight line.
More particularly, another aspect of the present invention relates to a guide mechanism made adaptable to a magazine into which so-called stick nails in the form of a structure such that heads of a plurality of nails are caused to overlap and capable of driving even a final one of the connected nails into a nose portion.
Moreover, another aspect of the present invention relates to a mechanism for adjusting the height of a magazine for a nailing machine of a type with which a plurality of connected nails are arranged and loaded capable of adjusting the height of the magazine to correspond to the length of the shaft of each of the connected nails.
Furthermore, another aspect of the present invention also relates to a nail feeding mechanism for a multiple-loading magazine for connected nails (stick nails) structured to feed nails from a multiple-loading magazine which is capable of accommodating the connected nails from inside to the outside to a nose portion of a nailing machine.
Moreover, another aspect of the present invention relates to a mechanism for holding connected nails for a multiple-loading magazine of a nailing machine adaptable to a multiple-loading magazine capable of permitting connected nails formed by linearly connecting a plurality of nails to be loaded from inside to the outside in a multi-row manner and enabled to hold the inside connected nails such that undesired movement of the connected nails is prevented if the direction of the nailing machine is changed.
2. Description of the Related Art
A magazine of a usual nailing machine incorporates only one branched passage for accommodating a series of stick nails, causing limitations to be imposed on the number of nails which can successively be driven. Therefore, a new stick nails must be loaded whenever a series of the connected nails are consumed. This mean that the troublesome operation for loading the stick nails must be repeated when a multiplicity of nails must be driven.
Therefore, a structure has been devised in which stick nails formed into a plurality of rows are loaded into the magazine. After the stick nails in the first row has been consumed, next stick nails are successively supplied. As disclosed in JP-B-6-61706, the multiple-loading magazine mechanism of the foregoing type incorporates a separating member called a moving shuttle disposed between a first stick nail and a second stick nail. The moving shuttle is moved in the lengthwise direction to sequentially separate one of the plural nail rows. Another structure has been disclosed in JP-B-43-10477 in which a plurality of stick nail passages formed in parallel with one another are formed in the magazine. Thus, the magazine is laterally slid whenever one stick nail row is consumed to cause a new row to face the nose portion.
The conventional method, however, requires the mechanism for moving the separating member and the mechanism for moving the magazine. Therefore, there arises a problem in that the overall structure becomes too complicated and the weight of the nailing machine is enlarged excessively.
As another point of view of a feeding mechanism for a magazine for connected nails, a method using a pusher, which is usually employed, is considered. The method is arranged such that a pusher is disposed in a nail feeding passage in the magazine. Moreover, the rear end of the connected nails loaded into the nail feeding passage is pushed by a rated-output spring of the pusher to supply the connected nails to the cylindrical nose portion. To prevent rearward inclination of the leading end of the stick nails and ejection through an opening for connecting the nose portion and the magazine to each other at the instant when the stick nails is driven by a driver, the nail is supplied such that its leading end is inclined forwards and its head is inclined rearwards.
To supply even a final nail of the stick nails to the nose portion, the pusher must be moved to a position shown in FIG. 9. The foregoing movement, however, causes a leading end 230a of the pusher 230 is introduced into the nose portion 231. Therefore, when the driver 232 is operated in the foregoing state, the driver 232 strikes and breaks the leading end 230a of the pusher 230 introduced into the nose portion 231. Hence it follows the movement of the pusher 230 must be stopped in front of the nose portion 231. Then, new connected nails must be loaded in a state where a plurality of nails are left in a nail feeding passage 233. The foregoing phenomenon similarly occurs if the conventional feeding claw is employed as a substitute for the pusher.
Next, two types of magazines for a nailing machine is discussed. A magazine for a nailing machine includes a single loading type magazine for accommodating one row of connected nails and a multiple-loading type magazine for arranging and accommodating a plurality of connected nails. Both of the magazines require the nails to be supplied to a nose portion thereof such that the same height of the heads of the connected nails is maintained. The magazine for accommodating a series of connected nails has a linear groove capable of engaging to the projecting heads of the nails and formed in each of the two side walls of the magazine in a direction in which the nails are fed. Since the connected nails are accommodated in a state where the heads of the connected nails are engaged to the linear grooves formed in the two sides of the walls and the nails are suspended, any problem does not arise regardless of the heights of the shafts of the nails. In a case of a multiple-loading magazine, the connected nails are supported by the bottom of the magazine. Therefore, the height of the magazine is adjusted to correspond to the height of the shafts of the nails. Specifically, an adjustment mechanism for adjusting the height of the bottom portion of the magazine is provided for the multiple-loading magazine.
The conventional mechanism for adjusting the height of a magazine for a multiple-loading nailing mechanism has a structure as shown FIG. 4 of JP-B-6-61706, and it has problems such as bad maneuverability and low strength because the conventional mechanism is assembled by fixing plural members with welding. Therefore, when the nailing machine is dropped, these members can be easily bent or broken, so that the nailing machine can not be used anymore.
Another related art on a multiple-loading magazine for connected nails is discussed hereafter. Conventionally, a multiple-loading magazine for connected nails of the conventional type incorporates only one mechanism for feeding the connected nails in the magazine. Therefore, feeding of the nails cannot satisfactorily be performed.
That is, when only one row of connected nails is present in the magazine, the claw for feeding the nail can be disposed sufficiently adjacent to the nose portion of the nailing machine. In a case of the multiple-loading magazine, the feeding claw must feed the innermost connected nails to the nose portion and as well as feeding inner connected nails in a next row to the nail feeding passage from the magazine after the foregoing connected nails have been consumed. Therefore, the conventional feeding claw has been structured to be capable of reciprocating between the magazine and the nail feeding passage to feed the connected nails in the magazine to the nail feeding passage. Therefore, the feeding claw is disposed at a rear position (adjacent to the magazine) apart from the nose portion as compared with the feeding claw of the single loading feeding claw.
The feeding claw is required to feed a next nail to the nose portion whenever a nail is driven. Therefore, the operation stroke is determined to be a short stroke which is formed to feed one nail to a next nail position. When the final one of the connected nails has been fed, the position of the feeding claw is nearest the nose portion. However, the distance from the feeding claw to the nose portion is considerably long. Since furthermore feeding cannot be performed, there arises a problem in that substantially 410 nails in the rear portion of the connected nails are left.
Next, a related art on a multiple-loading magazine for connected nails is discussed from another point of view. In general, a multiple-loading magazine for connected nails of the foregoing type accommodates a plurality of connected nails in the form of lateral rows. A pushing bar is provided which sequentially pushes out the connected nails starting from the connected nail in the inner row to a nail feeding passage connected to a nose portion of a nailing machine. The pushing bar is urged so as to be engaged to the shaft of the connected nail in the outermost row which is on standby in the magazine so that the nail is pushed out to the inside portion. The pushing bar has a function for inwards pushing out the next connected nails to the nail feeding passage after the inner connected nails have been consumed, that is, when the inner connected nails have been discharged from the magazine.
The operation for driving a nail includes downward driving with which the nail is driven into a floor, lateral driving with which a nail is driven into a wall and upward driving with which a nail is driven into a ceiling. The direction of the nailing machine varies to correspond to the foregoing operations. The direction of the connected nails in the magazine is, therefore, varied. When the downward driving operation is performed, the magazine is made to be horizontal and the shafts of the accommodated connected nails face vertically. When the lateral driving operation is performed such that the nail is driven by causing the magazine to face downwards as shown in FIG. 21A, the connected nails face vertically. When the magazine is caused to face laterally as shown in FIGS. 21B and 21C the connected nails and their shafts are positioned horizontally.
Therefore, the connected nails in the magazine are relatively stable when the downward driving operation is performed. Hence it follows that the outer connected nails are pushed out to the inside portion owing to spring force of the pressing bar after the innermost connected nails have been discharged from the magazine.
When the lateral driving operation is performed as shown in FIG. 21A, the connected nail 500a is slid and dropped owing to its deadweight. If the connected nail 500a in the magazine is moved whenever the direction of the nailing machine is changed, the operability deteriorates. In a case shown in FIG. 21B, a state is realized in which the connected nail 500a is placed on the pressing bar 500b. Therefore, the spring force of the pressing bar 500b is reduced owing to the deadweight of the connected nail. If the innermost connected nails are discharged from the magazine in the foregoing state, the pressing bar 500b cannot easily push up the inner connected nails 500a to the inside portion (the upper portion of the drawing). If the spring force of the pressing bar is enlarged, the connected nails 500a can be pushed up. The separator arranged to perform the introducing and removing operations whenever the nail is fed is disposed between the connected nails in the first row which is the inner most row and the connected nails in the second row which is inner than the first row. The reason for this lies in that undesirable engagement between the shafts of the connected nails in the first and second rows which obstructs feeding of the nail must be prevented. Therefore, if the spring force of the pressing bar is enlarged excessively, there arises a problem in that the separator cannot be introduced in between the connected nails because the force for connecting the adjacent connected nails is enlarged excessively.
Accordingly, the present invention is devised with considering the above mentioned problems, and objects of the present invention are discussed hereafter with the following examples.
An first object of the present invention is to provide a multiple-loading magazine mechanism which is capable of solving the above problems and providing a simple structure and with which weight reduction is permitted.
To solve the problems, there is provided a multiple-loading magazine mechanism for a nailing machine comprising a nail feeding passage and first and second guiding portions. The nail feeding passage is for guiding one of plural rows of connected nails to a striking mechanism of the nailing machine. The first guiding portion faces the nail feeding passage, and the first guiding portion is rotatively disposed and arranged to separate one of the rows of the connected nails from the others. A second guiding portion is for feeding the connected nails.
It is also preferable that a multiple-loading magazine mechanism comprises: an opened nail feeding passage for guiding and supplying connected nails to either end of a cylindrical nose connected to a striking mechanism; and a plurality of branched passages in a branched shape formed along either end of the nail feeding passage, wherein the nail feeding passage and each of the branched passages are able to accommodate a series of the connected nails, each of the branched passages has a pusher for pushing out the connected nails accommodated in each of the branched passages to the nail feeding passage, and a seesaw block is disposed in a portion of the nail feeding passage opposite to an opening of each of the branched passages, the seesaw block being arranged to swing to permit movement of a forward connected nail pushed out through the opening and positioned adjacent to the nose, stop a next connected nail pushed out through the opening of the branched passages when the connected nail is present in the nail feeding passage and permit movement of the next connected nail after the front connected nail has been moved.
More specifically, a structure may be employed in which a seesaw block which is capable of swinging about a central support point thereof and which is movable perpendicularly to a direction in which the nail is fed is disposed in a portion of the nail feeding passage opposite to an opening of each branched passage such that the seesaw block is urged by a spring toward the nail feeding passage, projections which can be introduced/removed with respect to the nail feeding passage are provided for two ends of the seesaw block along the nail feeding passage at positions corresponding to the front and rear portions of the opening, the rear surface of the front projection adjacent to the nose is formed into an inclined surface inclined with respect to the direction in which the connected nails are fed, and the front projection is urged to always be moved to the nail feeding passage.
An second object of the present invention is to provide a multiple-loading magazine mechanism which solves the above problems and is capable of driving a final one of a stick-nail type connected nails.
To solve the problems, there is provided a mechanism for guiding connected nails for a magazine of a nailing machine comprising: a nail feeding passage formed continuously from a rear wall of a cylindrical nose portion formed continuously from a striking mechanism and arranged to guide and supply connected nails connected such that the heads of the nails overlap; an opened window formed in a side wall of the nail feeding passage and provided with a nail feeding claw arranged to reciprocate in a direction in which the nail is supplied such that the nail feeding passage is able to be engaged/separated with respect to the shaft of each of the connected nails; and a pushing block disposed adjacent to the nose portion and arranged to be movable to be engaged to the rear surface of the head of a final connected nail and to push out the final nail to the nose portion.
It is preferable that the pressing block is urged by a spring so as to be rotatively disposed adjacent to the nose portion, usually engaged to the side surface of the head of the connected nail and arranged to push out the rear surface of the head of a final nail of the connected nails when the final nail passes aside the pressing block.
It is preferable that movement of the pressing block is inhibited so that introduction of the pressing block into the nose portion is inhibited.
A third object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for adjusting the height of a magazine for a multiple-loading magazine mechanism which is
To solve the foregoing problem, there is provided a mechanism for adjusting the height of a magazine for a multiple-loading nailing machine for loading a plurality of arranged connected nails, comprising: a bottom plate disposed between two side walls of a magazine, arranged to support connected nails and capable of moving vertically; and a plurality of engaging portions vertically provided for the inner walls of the two side walls, wherein engaging means capable of engaging/separating with respect to the engaging portion is provided for the bottom plate.
It is preferable that a portion of a lower portion of each of the two side walls of the magazine is opened, and the bottom plate is exposed to the outside through the opened portion.
An fourth object of the present invention is to provide a nail feeding mechanism for a multiple-loading magazine for a nailing machine capable of solving the foregoing problems and reliably feeding nails even if only a small number of nails is left.
To solve the foregoing problem, according to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a nail feeding mechanism for a multiple-loading magazine for a nailing machine adaptable to a multiple-loading magazine formed to permit a plurality of connected nails obtained by connecting a multiplicity of nails in the form of sticks to be loaded from inside to the outside such that the connected nails are formed in the lateral row state so as to feed the connected nails starting with the connected nails in the innermost first row to a rearward nose portion of a nailing machine through a nail feeding passage, the nail feeding mechanism for a multiple-loading magazine for a nailing machine comprising:
two pieces of feed-piston cylinder apparatus disposed at two positions along the nail feeding passage and each having a feed piston capable of reciprocating in the lengthwise direction, wherein
the feed piston of the rear feed-piston cylinder apparatus is provided with a separator which is capable of separating, to the inside pusher and the outside portion, a first row of the connected nails at the innermost position and a second row of the connected nails on the outside of the first row of the connected nails and a first feeding claw for feeding the connected nails in the first row from the magazine to the nail feeding passage, and the feed piston of the front feed-piston cylinder apparatus is provided with a second feeding claw for feeding the connected nails fed by the first feeding claw to the nose portion.
It is preferable that the second feeding claw is formed to be capable of engaging to a nail regardless of the length of the nail.
An fifth object of the present invention is to provide a mechanism for holding connected nails for a multiple-loading magazine of a nailing machine which is capable of holding connected nails in the magazine to prevent undesirable movement and reliably pushing out the standby connected nails regardless of the driving method.
To solve the problems, according to the present invention, there is provided a mechanism for holding connected nails for a multiple-loading magazine of a nailing machine adaptable to a multiple-loading magazine having a structure to which loading of a plurality of connected nails formed by linearly connecting a multiplicity nails in a lateral state from inside to the outside is permitted and which sequentially pushes out the connected nails starting with a connected nail in the inner row to a nail feeding passage connected to a nose portion of a nailing machine, the mechanism for holding connected nails for a multiple-loading magazine of a nailing machine, comprising: a pressing bar and a plate spring disposed in the magazine such that the pressing bar is urged to engage to the shaft of a connected nail in the outermost row in the magazine to inwards push out the nail and provided individually, wherein the plate spring is disposed below the pressing bar, and the plate spring has a bent engaging portion which is introduced in between connected nails in the outermost row through the connected nails in the inner row of standby connected nails in the magazine so as to be engaged in between the connected nails.